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A comment on Second study finds Uber used opaque algorithm to dramatically boost profits. Parent comment

Re:Second study finds Uber used opaque algorithm to dramatic... by GIVEDADDYABYTE on Wednesday June 25, 2025 @10:55AM (#44378070)
In Washington DC we have Empower https://driveempower.com/

The idea is that drivers pay a flat fee per month and get to keep the entirety of the fare. I used it for a while but my desire to get somewhere fast outweighed my disdain for Uber as middleman. Eventually I went back to Uber/Lyft due to long wait times and unreliable pickups.

It is a lot more like "some guy giving you a ride" instead of a car service. My buddy initially pitched it to me as a cheap alternative to Uber for drivers that were banned from Uber. It is nice that they don't have surge pricing. Empower is somewhere in between the convenience and price of Uber and public transportation.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Second study finds Uber used opaque algorithm to dramatic... by porridgeraisin on Wednesday June 25, 2025 @02:25PM (#44380400)
Yeah. India has nammayatri.in as well (opensource/open data btw!)

While it's availablity is very good, there are three competitors (one of which is uber) with better, more reliable availability so it's tough competition.

[ Parent | on HN ]